30. Sowing Discord

Zhou Suirong drove the car into the city’s neon glow, still carrying a lingering, restless heat in his body. It took him a long while to suppress the agitation in his heart amidst the cool air conditioning, only to hear the steady, rhythmic breathing from his right.

Fang Qingzhou had been busy messaging someone the entire way. The other party hadn't replied, leaving a trail of green text bubbles on her screen. Her fair face flickered between light and shadow as they passed streetlamps, her attention entirely fixed on typing. She weighed every word and sentence before hitting send, as if conducting profound research, clearly addicted to this bizarre role-playing game.

Not long after, Zhou Suirong’s phone began receiving a barrage of frantic messages from Xu Youxiang. Seeing the string of unread notifications, Zhou Suirong guessed the two were engaged in a struggle of total miscommunication and couldn't help but smile.

Wang Da had arranged to meet him at a stir-fry restaurant nearby, where parking along the street was easy after dark. Zhou Suirong luckily found a spot with a clear view and picked up his phone to review the chat history.

Xu Youxiang: What is wrong with your boss? Please, tell her to stop messaging me!
Xu Youxiang: Why is she obsessively hounding me? Does she care that much about other people's opinions?
Xu Youxiang: You tell her, if she doesn't believe me, fine! I don't need her to believe me!
Xu Youxiang: I haven't replied to her yet, I'm pretending I don't see it. Don't sell me out.

Zhou Suirong held his phone up in front of Fang Qingzhou, letting her inspect the power of her psychological assault.

Fang Qingzhou was satisfied with the results and reported her progress to him: "I sent Xu Youxiang forty-two messages to express my disapproval of his cynicism. I'm forcing him to provide concrete evidence to prove the truth of his verbal accusations. He just took my money; even though he's annoyed by my pestering, he’s too embarrassed to block me. You can use this opportunity to have a heart-to-heart with him."

"By the way, I found him a lawyer. Make sure he accepts the friend request. Why not sue when you've been forced to drink to the point of near-death? Additionally, I suggest you use this to intimidate Wang Da. Based on his behavior, he is likely completely ignorant of the law."

Seeing her solemn expression, Zhou Suirong wanted to laugh again. "You really are thoughtful."

He replied to the message as instructed.

Zhou Suirong: Brother Xu, you’ve seen my boss’s personality yourself today. She’s stubborn, arrogant, and doesn't understand social graces; I can’t reason with her either. She was just nagging me about it earlier; she's still in a foul mood.
Zhou Suirong: But she has no ill intent. She’s just had such an incredibly smooth life that she’s never had to face the malice of ordinary people. She’s too naive and a bit spoiled.
Zhou Suirong: Did she introduce a lawyer to you? She’ll pay for it. Just accept her kindness and send the lawyer your medical records or other materials. If you’re lucky, you might even get extra compensation.
Xu Youxiang: The restaurant won't provide surveillance footage, and they’ll never admit it. What if they insist it was an accident? Besides, they already covered my medical bills—is there any need to sue?
Zhou Suirong: There will be street surveillance, and the waiters have eyes. Professionals are far more thorough in gathering evidence than you can imagine. If you tell them what happened, they’ll help you come up with a strategy. The point is to make things difficult for Wang Da and Liang Yizheng without costing you a dime. Why are you refusing?
Zhou Suirong: If it’s really too much, the lawyer will deal with her. You don’t have to argue with her yourself.

Zhou Suirong didn't hide anything, so Fang Qingzhou leaned in and observed their entire exchange. After seeing this, she silently withdrew her gaze and said, "It’s nothing. Just playing the part."

Fang Qingzhou turned her face toward the window and said with self-awareness, "I know that when you first met me, you probably talked about me behind my back just like this."

Zhou Suirong, having abandoned his morals to coax Xu Youxiang—earning no credit and now facing such unprovoked accusation—felt wronged. "Are you going to spread rumors about me now, Fang Qingzhou? If you ever sent me that many messages on your own, I’d have to go find a mountain and pray devoutly from sunrise."

Fang Qingzhou turned her head, seemingly evaluating the sincerity in his words.

Zhou Suirong said, "Senior Sister Fang, your character has a flaw—you always force me to speak ill of you to others. I don't think that's right."

Fang Qingzhou asked, "Then what do you want to do?"

Zhou Suirong put down his phone, unbuckled his seatbelt, and beckoned her closer. Fang Qingzhou leaned in without guard.

Zhou Suirong’s phone vibrated; it was likely Wang Da, impatient from the wait, calling to urge him. Zhou Suirong glanced at it, ignored it, and reached out to brush the hair from Fang Qingzhou’s forehead. A smile danced in his eyes as he threaded his fingers through her hair, pulling the back of her head toward him until he pressed against her soft lips, beginning a passionate, lingering, and tender kiss.

Fang Qingzhou had nothing to hold onto, so she subconsciously waved her hand, accidentally knocking Zhou Suirong’s phone to the floor. The vibrating phone slid somewhere out of sight, creating an even more noticeable commotion. Fang Qingzhou looked down, but could only see the high bridge of Zhou Suirong’s nose and his deep, dark eyes.

***

Zhou Suirong caught her flustered hand at the right moment, guiding it to press against his chest. The rise and fall of his breathing, the flow of his blood, and his rising body temperature were all transmitted to Fang Qingzhou through touch and emotion. The hand holding hers tightened, as if trying to pull them closer and bind them more tightly together.

After a moment, realizing he was losing control of his strength, he slowly relaxed, his thumb stroking her wrist back and forth. His skin felt searingly hot.

The phone stopped for a few seconds before persistently starting a new round of vibrations.

Zhou Suirong reluctantly pulled away, bent down to retrieve the phone, and hung up without even looking at it. Seeing Fang Qingzhou’s moist lips and innocent gaze, he felt the air in the car was so sweet it made his head spin.

He felt it was necessary to clarify their reconciliation, but there was absolutely no room for Wang Da’s shadow in the background. He couldn't help but regret inviting such an annoying person out tonight.

Zhou Suirong steadied his rapid breathing, looked at her with burning eyes, and smiled. "Kiss me, honey."

Fang Qingzhou: "..."

Asking now? So, what was that he was doing just a moment ago—was it a dog kissing her?

Fang Qingzhou did not refuse and leaned in. Zhou Suirong became visibly excited, pulling her closer to deepen the kiss. Afraid the phone would ring again, Fang Qingzhou ended it quickly and pulled back, blocking him slightly with her hand.

Zhou Suirong said disappointedly, "I don't want to go."

Fang Qingzhou urged, "Go quickly."

Zhou Suirong stared at her deeply for a long while before forcibly dragging his gaze away. He pushed the car door open and said, "I'm going then. Find a place to sit nearby, and I'll call you when I'm done."

***

The open space in front of the restaurant was filled with scattered tables and chairs. The night market was bustling with noise, filled with the rich, smoky atmosphere of life.

Wang Da sat at a small table near the road, tapping his screen and repeatedly dialing. When the busy signal came through again, he pounded the table in annoyance. He looked up impatiently, only to see the unreachable Zhou Suirong walking toward him with an air of high spirits.

He looked like he’d just stepped off a runway, walking with a grand, imposing gait, his face radiant and bright, the joy in his eyebrows almost impossible to conceal.

Wang Da forgot his insults. Once Zhou Suirong sat down opposite him, he complained, "I’ve called you a dozen times, you jerk. I thought you weren't coming."

"I was parking," Zhou Suirong said.

Wang Da shoved a bottle into his hand and asked incredulously, "What good thing happened to you? Did you win the lottery?"

"No." Zhou Suirong took a sip from the bottle. He didn't really taste it; he only felt the warm bubble of joy in his chest like a hot spring. He said seriously, "I've decided to move to the next stage with Fang Qingzhou."

Wang Da still remembered how they acted all over each other and didn't believe their pretense of "who pursued whom." He was stunned. "Huh? You guys aren't getting married, are you?!"

Hearing those words, Zhou Suirong’s thoughts drifted, and he leaned his elbows on the table, letting out a low, muffled laugh.

Seeing this reaction, Wang Da took it at face value. He felt the dark side of human nature bubbling up; there was no blessing, only bitterness. *Damn it,* he cursed inwardly, *did this pretty boy really hook her? How can this beast be so lucky?!*

Zhou Suirong hadn't paid attention to what Wang Da handed him, and only realized it was beer when he reached the bottom of the bottle. Since he couldn't drive anyway, he simply opened another one.

"What did you order?"

"Don't bother," Wang Da said. "Liang Yizheng is coming over later. We're going to change venues."

"What’s he coming for?" Zhou Suirong’s face darkened immediately. "We're not moving. Can't a big influencer eat at a street stall?"

Wang Da gave him an indescribable look. "Do you have such a big problem with him?"

*He drank when told to yesterday, didn't he? Now that he has someone backing him, his temper has grown like the wind.*

Zhou Suirong retorted sharply, "I just can't stand his character. If I’d known he was so shameless and vile, I wouldn't have given him the time of day yesterday. I specifically asked you out tonight to warn you: don't let someone use you as a scapegoat while you're still treating them like a brother."

Wang Da was bewildered. "What do you mean? Do you know something?"

"Do you think the police let you go so easily because Liang Yizheng pulled some strings for you?" Zhou Suirong sneered. "Then guess why he’s asking you out today."

Wang Da said anxiously, "Stop playing games and just say it!"

"Liang Yizheng is looking for you to fish for information. He wants to know what you told the police and whether it will cause him trouble. He’s panicking just as much as you are. The only reason you got out is because Xu Youxiang didn't die, and the police had no reason to hold you."

Wang Da was skeptical. "How do you know?"

Zhou Suirong smiled and took a drink. "I ran into Xu Youxiang. After leaving the villa that day, he found us and showed us his medical records. He said Liang Yizheng tried to kill him, and he nearly died. You were an accomplice, right?"

Wang Da stayed silent.

Zhou Suirong tapped his fingers on the table, signaling him to lean in, and whispered, "Xu Youxiang looks like a pauper; he probably couldn't pull a few coins out of his pockets if he tried. Yet, he had a suit-wearing lawyer with him who claimed to be doing some pro-bono project? To sue him for free? I checked that lawyer’s credentials—he’s a big deal. Why would he suddenly do charity work for such a boring case? It’s obvious someone paid a high price for him. Add that unidentified corpse outside the villa... Liang Yizheng is in big trouble."

Wang Da felt his skin crawl, as if he weren't sitting on a stool, but on a block of ice. A chill rose with the night breeze. He shivered and forced a laugh. "You believe Xu Youxiang?"

Zhou Suirong’s calm, detached tone was particularly intriguing. "It baffled me why Liang Yizheng would risk murder to target Xu Youxiang. After I got back to the hotel and thought about it, it finally clicked. Brother Wang, think about it: what kind of grudge could high school students possibly have? With Liang Yizheng’s reputation at school, he was never taken advantage of by Xu Youxiang. Xu Youxiang was the one who was bullied. Ten years later, he’s even worse off; he can't even get through the front door of Liang Yizheng’s company. Why can't Liang Yizheng let it go? Is he really keeping such a trivial target in his heart? Especially right before his wedding? No matter how you look at it, Xu Youxiang is the one who should have a grudge against him."

"Why would Liang Yizheng be so desperate to kill Xu Youxiang this time? He’s a big influencer—isn't he afraid Xu Youxiang will be pushed to the edge and take him down with him? It means Xu Youxiang must have something that truly threatens him."

Zhou Suirong paused at the crucial point, took a few sips of beer, and looked at Wang Da with an inscrutable expression, giving him time to react.

Wang Da felt a strange coldness in Zhou Suirong’s pitch-black pupils. His brain felt frozen, and it took him an agonizingly long time to think. The surrounding noise seemed to fade away into a heart-stopping silence.

He swallowed hard and heard his own voice trembling. "But his father is..."

Zhou Suirong cut him off. "His father is the former deputy mayor and former police chief. I know; Xu Youxiang told me. But his father is retired. Haven't you heard the story of 'when the person leaves, the tea goes cold'? Besides, police work often offends people. How can you be sure this time is because of his father, or because of him? Regardless, Brother Wang, people like us can't afford to offend them."

Zhou Suirong continued, "What I can't stand is this: if Liang Yizheng is destroying evidence, the nature of the situation changes completely. That’s blatant intentional injury or even attempted murder. The police haven't opened a case because the evidence is insufficient, but that could change later. He isn't cleaning up his own mess, leaving a trail of evidence, while staying behind the scenes and pushing the dirty work onto you—by the way, did he pay you?"

Wang Da heard the sound of his own psychological defenses collapsing. He couldn't even pretend to be strong. "He didn't pay me a damn thing! I just made a phone call, what does that have to do with me?!"

"That won't be for you to decide later," Zhou Suirong sneered. "He used your friendship to make you do his dirty work. He didn't give you a cent, just led you around by the nose. I don't see any talent in him, but I do see that he’s vicious."

Zhou Suirong pulled out his phone, went to someone's Moments, and handed it to Wang Da. "This is the lawyer Xu Youxiang found. I smelled a rat because of him. Brother Wang, you better watch yourself."

The lawyer’s latest post was from five minutes ago: *These people are absolutely lawless. I don't know if they value money over their lives, or if they are just completely ignorant of the law.*

Below it was a blurred photo. Wang Da zoomed in with two fingers and recognized it as Xu Youxiang’s medical record. He kept scrolling; through the lawyer’s daily logs, work photos, and reflections, it was clear that this lawyer had a wealthy lifestyle and extensive experience. He was definitely not someone Xu Youxiang could afford.

Wang Da’s eyes went hollow, his reason adrift. The belated panic pricked his back like thorns, spreading throughout his body. His teeth chattered as he muttered, "No... it can't be, right? I just made a phone call, they can't blame that on me, can they?"

***

Fang Qingzhou observed from afar. Seeing the two of them halfway through their conversation, Zhou Suirong suddenly handed over his phone. She tensed up and sat straight.

One hand pressed against the car door, her eyes fixed on them, hesitating whether to get out, when someone tapped the car window three times.

Fang Qingzhou turned her gaze and saw a face that was not quite familiar.

She rolled down the window. The warm night air rushed in, blowing back the fringe on the other person’s forehead, revealing a cold, handsome face.

The man leaned over slightly, casting a sharp shadow with his nose and brow bone. He smiled gently. "Long time no see, Fang Qingzhou."